Iced Earth with Jag Panzer and In Flames
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Iced Earth with Jag Panzer and In Flames |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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5 | |
| Go to Reader Reviews |
Abyss' Review (4/10/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):
Iced Earth/In Flames/Jag Panzer - Metal Through the Mucous
photos by CYN
Jag PanzerWith barely any time for me to recover from the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Iced Earth and In Flames speed into town (oh yeah, and Jag Panzer too). The cold that I had successfully postponed last week had finally caught up with me, and in all honesty, I just wanted to go home and sleep. But unfortunately, metal doesn't get sick (it's sick to begin with, right?) so I hiked up my pretty, pink skirt and tried to get myself psyched up for the show. I had some time to kill after work, so I met my girlfriend for a few drinks. She listened to me drone on about Iced Earth and In Flames with a patient smile on her face, and she complimented me on my pretty, pink skirt (she's very supportive in that sense.) Luckily, I drank enough to make my fever go away (well, it probably was still there I just didn't feel it as much), said my adieus and made my way to the venue.
I have been to a few shows at the WWF World in Times Square, and have always been happy by how well things move along. I've rarely had to wait to get in, and once in, there always seems to be a place to stand that provides a good view of the stage. So imagine my dumbfoundment (that's dumbfoundment, not just dumb, mind you) when I viewed a huge line outside the venue. I figured I'd walk to the back of the line, while simultaneously looking out for my friends. It was at this point that I realized how poorly I estimated the length of the line. No matter how far I walked, the line continued to span in front of me. It reminded me of that common nightmare of walking down a hallway that continuously gets longer, so you don't get anywhere, and then a talking platypus tells you that your shoes don't fit while gently stroking your hair. Then you get scared because you think that the platypus is coming on to you, and you're really not down with that, but then you start thinking, "Hey, maybe it's a female platypus," but before you delve further into that question you're interrupted by former President Nixon handing you a box of chocolates while asking you for drugs. (I mean c'mon, we've all had it!) Anyhoo, it probably would've been easier to just say that the line was really long.
The good side of this is that I missed just about all of Jag Panzer. I find Jag Panzer a much more entertaining band when I only have to see one song. And they actually sounded pretty good. The lead singer was wearing a shirt with flames on it, so I guess I could actually say they were on fire! The crowd seemed hip to it, however, so they were either just being polite, or they simply don't realize how cheesy this band really is. You got to give them credit, however, it takes real integrity to be so over the top.
Jag PanzerHaving just seen In Flames a few days earlier I should probably say something cool about how I'd already been there and done that, but in actuality, I found myself just as excited as ever to see them again. The sound was much better than was the case in New England, and I was a lot less drunk, so I was able to enjoy (and remember) this show much better. The set list was, for the most part, identical to the festival, and "Jotun" was absent yet again (for those who may have missed my bitching in the other review). But set lists become trivial with an act like In Flames. Pretty much every song you hear live sounds like one of your favorites, as the band's energy is infectious, as is their mood. They just look and sound like they love what they're doing, and that festive vibe seems to spread throughout the venue. This band has it all when it comes to a live presentation, a energetic and take-charge frontman surrounded by talented and involved musicians that let the concert-goer scan the stage and find something interesting in every position.
The success of In Flames' set might be a little intimidating to any band, but Iced Earth have one of the most dedicated followings in metal, a following that seems to be getting larger all of the time. The band opened their show with an electric rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," to which Barlow came on stage proudly waving the American flag. Patriotism, however, would soon give way to pure metal mayhem. The band sounded dead on, every sickly sweet riff driving into your brain as Mr. Barlow hit both ends of his vocal range with precision and authority. I don't know, but this is the one power metal band that can sing about horror movies and comic books and not sound cheesy. Their set was heavy with songs from their new album, Horror Show, and the new tunes stood up well in a live setting. I was especially surprised how well "Damien" came across, as I would have thought that that song was too intricate to sound as full in a live setting as on the record ("Wolf" as well, for that matter). But the songs sounded thick and great. Of course, while I was surprised, the venue was packed to the gills with denim clad denizens who seemed to pay it no mind and just screamed along with the lyrics.
It's rare that a show like this comes around, even Jag Panzer seemed to play above themselves. But with regard to In Flames and Iced Earth, these are two of the best live acts out there right now, and they complement each other beautifully. Here's to hoping that future tours are put together with such foresight. (Until then I'll gasp in the stupidity of the Motorhead/Morbid Angel bill). And for those of you who might be worried about me (yeah right!) I still have my cold and my pretty pink skirt is now a gorgeous fuchsia ballgown. Anyone know a liquor that mixes with NyQuil?
Death's Review (4/10/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):
My day started early. I snuck out around 4 pm to breeze by the In Flames "listening party" at CBGB's, where the free drinks were flowing, the band was chilling out and the still-unfinished new In Flames album was playing at medium volume at the back of the club. The new material sounded good - definitely In Flames, definitely not nu-metal, probably a continuation of the Clayman sound - although of course I was not really able to get a focused enough listen to give any true assessment for you yet. Can't wait to hear the finished product. Anyway, I instead spent the 45 minutes I was there (before heading back to the office to finish a few things up before the show that night) talking with friends, reminiscing about the past weekend's New England fest and chatting with In Flames about... well... "Star Wars," primarily. Much fun.
In FlamesThat night, I met Hel, Abyss, Cyn, Redwolff and Musashi in line outside the venue. It was already shaping up to be a big night. It was Cyn's official last show before moving west. And we had Redwolff out with us, which is always cause for celebration. We tolerated our extended wait to get in (ushering Cyn in for photography duties in advance) although it caused us to miss a lot of Jag Panzer's set.
We got in and I went straight to look at the merch. Jag Panzer was selling a DVD. Iced Earth shirts were OK - I almost bought a Tribute to the Gods shirt but didn't -don't really like the "monsters" on the front of the Horror Show T's. In Flames had the same "Star Wars" style shirt it was selling in New England.
In FlamesI got a beer and watched the end of Jag Panzer. They actually sounded pretty killer, and really seemed to have changed a lot since we last saw them at the Bank a few years ago. I definitely was feeling it this time, and they really are a killer American power metal band. I know Famine would have liked it a lot, had he been there.
In Flames crushed all. They were so killer, perhaps the best I have ever seen them. Basically the same set as in New England, only much, much, much better sound and a crowd that was totally pumped for metal rather than fatigued. This was a breakthrough performance for In Flames in New York, and there was a packed house there to see it. They definitely have a future with a wider audience - perhaps rumors of a fall tour with Slayer and Soulfly will prove true and In Flames may even end up playing a place like Roseland on their next pass through Manhattan. Cool.
In FlamesIced Earth also seem to be getting much more popular at a rapid rate. Funny to think the band has been at it for so many years and now, out of nowhere it seems it is starting to "happen" for them. Billboard ran an article about their success citing SoundScan reports of sales of over 50,000 units to date in the U.S. and sales of 30,000 of the Dark Genesis box set in Europe. Who knows what is next for Iced Earth in terms of a label, but whomever it is, I hope they can capitalize on this momentum.
The show was great. A Horror Show banner hung behind the stage, individual "monster" banners on each side and out front. Matthew Barlowe came onstage with an American flag while Jon Schaeffer played "The Star Spangled Banner" to open the show. The band played lots of material from the Horror Show record ("Wolf," "Damien," "Jack," "Dracula," "Jeckyl & Hyde"), which I like, but isn't my absolute favorite Iced Earth material. What did kick ass? The fucking "Something Wicked" trilogy, that's what! That was killer, probably especially because by that point we had pushed up front. I also enjoyed "Melancholy" and "Some Watching Over Me" from The Dark Saga. All in all though, Iced Earth looked and sounded commanding and totally old school, traditional metal. They may not ever actually live up to "the next Iron Maiden" hype - perhaps they are too down-and-dirty-basic-meat-and-potatoes-metal to be compared to that. But they are denim and leather, old school traditional metal kinda guys. And they are kicking a lot of ass these days to a growing legion of fans. Iced Earth is a solid, large-club headliner in New York, and this show definitely solidified that status for years to come. Definitely catch this tour if you have the chance - one of the best metal has seen in years. They will be talking about this bill ten years from now I'm sure.
Hel's Review (4/10/02, The World, Times Square, NYC):
When this show was first announced, it was scheduled for the Hard Rock Cafe. I'm here to tell you that it is a good thing they changed the venue. It was moved to the more spacious themed restaurant, The World, in the center of Times Square. Not only was the new venue completely packed by the time the night ended, the line to get in was truly astounding in length. Before it even began, there could be no doubt that the show was a success.Only a few years earlier, I saw Jag Panzer and Iced Earth play a show together under very different circumstances. It was late 1998 or early 1999, and the venue was a tiny hole in the wall called The Bank, way, way down at the southern tip of Manhattan. Attendance at that show was sparse, 30 people, maybe 50, certainly no more. The same could not be said for last Wednesday, which was packed, with attendees numbering easily over a thousand (a guess, I have no idea what the capacity for this venue actually is).
Iced EarthWhat happened here? That was the question I found myself asking with increasing frequency throughout the night. There were still people entering the venue while Jag Panzer ran through their set. Frankly, I never got into Jag Panzer, as they lean toward the cheesier side, and I just have never been drawn to their style. However, this performance was notably better than the last time I saw them, and they made a good impression overall.
By the time In Flames took the stage, most people were inside, and the crowd provided them with an enthusiastic welcome. It had been my expectation, when this show was initially announced, that In Flames would be the headliner. This assumption was a result of their previous appearances in the area, at larger venues (larger than The Bank, certainly) like L'Amour. However, Horror Show sold over 50,000 copies, and thus, numbers prevail where logic fails.
During In Flames' set, my assumption was that this band was the one most people had come to see. I mean, really, besides the population of Greece, who had ever heard of Iced Earth? I've been a rabid fan for years, and I have always found myself in the minority. For years this scenario continually repeated: I would rave about the newest Iced Earth record, and in return the person I was raving at would respond, "Who?" In Flames, on the other hand, had managed to build up quite a following for their live shows, or at least that's what I had come to believe.
Iced EarthIn Flames put on their usual high-energy show, and the packed house adored them. They played for what seemed like a respectable amount of time, and banged out old both new songs and old classics. It was clear they were having a great time, and the fans responded to them with enthusiasm. I have seen In Flames play a number of times now, in a number of different settings, and after their set was over, I was left with the feeling that this was one of the best shows I have seen them put on yet.
At this point, I expected the crowd to disperse a bit. After all, we've already established that no one knows who Iced Earth is, right? Wrong, apparently. Instead of leaving, the crowd began chanting, "Iced Earth." I began to have the distinct feeling that I was in some strange alternative universe. In the world I knew, Iced Earth was a phenomenon overseas, and generally ignored in the U.S. In the world I had suddenly found myself in, Iced Earth was a phenomenon! When did this happen? How did this happen? How did I miss it? What the hell is going on here?! These are the questions which spun 'round and 'round in my head the rest of the night.
Iced EarthI was not destined to learn the answers to my questions. At a certain point, I had to just accept it. My disbelief had nothing to do with the band, I always believed that Iced Earth was one of the greatest bands the metal scene would ever know. My disbelief stemmed from the fact that I had long ago decided that Iced Earth was doomed to languish in obscurity in the U.S. Rarely am I so happy to be wrong. Despite all logic to the contrary, I was confronted with the material proof that Iced Earth had finally found success in the States. Matthew Barlow's well-honed stadium stage presence served him well this evening, and the audience rabidly ate up every gesture and applauded ferociously whenever prompted.
At the end of the night, the obligatory encore was demanded by the fans with rousing cries of, "Iced Earth! Iced Earth!" I honestly never thought I'd see the day. It is not often that I find myself shocked and surprised by the turnout and response at a metal event. I was both on this night. Apparently, the rest of the U.S. has finally caught on to what the population of Greece and many others have long known - Iced Earth rules. If you can get yourself into this show, do it.
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